TY - JOUR
T1 - Duration of exclusive breast-feeding and infant iron and zinc status in rural Bangladesh
AU - Eneroth, Hanna
AU - El Arifeen, Shams
AU - Persson, Lars Åke
AU - Kabir, Iqbal
AU - Lönnerdal, Bo
AU - Hossain, Mohammad Bakhtiar
AU - Ekström, Eva Charlotte
PY - 2009/8
Y1 - 2009/8
N2 - There is a concern that exclusive breast-feeding (EBF) for 6 mo may lead to iron and zinc deficiency in low-birth weight (LBW) infants. We assessed the association between duration of EBF and infant iron and zinc status in the Maternal and Infant Nutrition Interventions in Matlab trial, Bangladesh, stratified for normal birth weigh (NBW) and LBW. Duration of EBF was classified into EBF <4 mo and EBF 4-6 mo based on monthly recalls of foods introduced to the infant. Blood samples collected at 6 mo were analyzed for plasma zinc (n = 1032), plasma ferritin (n = 1040), and hemoglobin (Hb) (n = 791). Infants EBF 4-6 mo had a higher mean plasma zinc concentration (9.9 ± 2.3 μmol/L) than infants EBF <4mo (9.5 ± 2.0 μmol/L) (P < 0.01). This association was apparent in only the NBW strata and was not reflected in a lower prevalence of zinc deficiency. Duration of EBF was not associated with concentration of plasma ferritin, Hb concentration, or prevalence of iron deficiency or anemia in any strata. Regardless of EBF duration, the prevalence of zinc deficiency, iron deficiency, and anemia was high in infants in this population and strategies to prevent deficiency are needed.
AB - There is a concern that exclusive breast-feeding (EBF) for 6 mo may lead to iron and zinc deficiency in low-birth weight (LBW) infants. We assessed the association between duration of EBF and infant iron and zinc status in the Maternal and Infant Nutrition Interventions in Matlab trial, Bangladesh, stratified for normal birth weigh (NBW) and LBW. Duration of EBF was classified into EBF <4 mo and EBF 4-6 mo based on monthly recalls of foods introduced to the infant. Blood samples collected at 6 mo were analyzed for plasma zinc (n = 1032), plasma ferritin (n = 1040), and hemoglobin (Hb) (n = 791). Infants EBF 4-6 mo had a higher mean plasma zinc concentration (9.9 ± 2.3 μmol/L) than infants EBF <4mo (9.5 ± 2.0 μmol/L) (P < 0.01). This association was apparent in only the NBW strata and was not reflected in a lower prevalence of zinc deficiency. Duration of EBF was not associated with concentration of plasma ferritin, Hb concentration, or prevalence of iron deficiency or anemia in any strata. Regardless of EBF duration, the prevalence of zinc deficiency, iron deficiency, and anemia was high in infants in this population and strategies to prevent deficiency are needed.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67749132532&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=67749132532&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3945/jn.109.104919
DO - 10.3945/jn.109.104919
M3 - Article
C2 - 19535419
AN - SCOPUS:67749132532
VL - 139
SP - 1562
EP - 1567
JO - Journal of Nutrition
JF - Journal of Nutrition
SN - 0022-3166
IS - 8
ER -